A brisk opening bowler, George O'Brien is one of Bermuda's most promising prospects, and he made an immediate impression when called up, taking ten wickets at 19.50 in his first four ODIs. But while his ability is there for all to see, he has too often been let down by a less-than-professional attitude off the field. In 2005 he was handed a two-year suspended ban after reportedly punching an opponent during Bermuda's Cup Match, the biggest game of the year. In 2006 he was dropped from the national side after he missed a number of training sessions and failed to impress at the ones he did attend. That led to him being excluded from the 2007 World Cup squad, and days after being left out he broke his leg playing football. The jury is out on whether his ability will win out over his approach to the game.
Martin Williamson April 2007